Panasonic ZS80 vs Panasonic LZ30

On this page, we will be evaluating the Panasonic ZS80 and Panasonic LZ30, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras and they are both manufactured by Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS80 (20MP) and LZ30 (16MP) but both cameras provide the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The ZS80 was revealed 5 years later than the LZ30 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a brief overview of how the ZS80 matches up versus the LZ30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery and Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS80 provides physical dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Panasonic LZ30 has specifications of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS80 and Panasonic LZ30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the ZS80 vs the LZ30.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the ZS80 and LZ30 is 86 and 66 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to see the difference between sensor measurements purely by looking at specifications. The visual here might provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS80 and LZ30.

To sum up, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You should count on the Panasonic ZS80 to give more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The fresher ZS80 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.